General Van Cleve came along and soon proceeded to the rear. He had no command. Colonel Parkhurst next came with Ninth Michigan Volunteers. He had orderes to proceed to the rear with prisoners. He turned over to me many stragglers, a strong regiment of them. Then Major-General Crittenden came along. I told him what I was about. He proceeded to the rear. I was soon after joined by Generals Negley, Davis, and Sheridan, and at this time the force was between 10,000 and 12,000 men. General Negley started personally to join General Thomas, and reported that he could not do so, on account of the enemy's cavalry. Colonel McKibbin and others soon joined the party, adn after consultation it was agreed that General Sheridan should push out on the La Fayette road to support General Thomas, General Davis should remain where he was and cover the retreat of the trains, &c., and General Negley should march to Rossville, as a support to either. I dispatched Captain Hill to Chattanooga, to inform the general commanding of the state of affairs, and proceeded, with the other officers, and Colonel McKibbin, with General Sheridan, to the wooden church south of Rossville, on General Thomas' left and very close to the enemy's lines. I left General Sheridan after 8 p. m., with the understating that General Thomas was withdrawing to Rossville, and that General Sheridan would do so quietly. I joined the general commanding at 10 p. m., at Chattanooga, and reported. On the 21st I was sent to Rossville with Captain Burt and Lieutenant Porter, and reported the progress of the engagement by telegraph during the day, leaving when all the orders had been given to General Thomas for withdrawal to this place. I cannot mention the young officers alluded to in this report as assisting me too highly, and am glad to have this opportunity of placing their services before the commanding general, as otherwise they might have been overlooked.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ARTHUR C. DUCAT,

Lieutenant-Colonel and Assistant Inspector-General.

Major-General ROSECRANS,

Commanding.

[30.]

Report of Colonel Jesse H. Moore, One hundred and fifteenth Illinois Ifantry.

HDQRS. 115TH REGIMENT ILLINOIS VOL. INFANTRY,
Camp near Chattanooga, September 27, 1863.

SIR: In compliance with orders I have the honor of submitting my official report of the part which my command took in the engagement of Saturday, September 19, near McAfee Church on the Ringgold road southeast of Chattanooga, and also in that of Sunday, September 20, on the Fayetteville [La Fayette] road in the Chickamauga Valley.

On the 18th of September my regiment moved out from Rossville with First Brigade, First Division, Reserve Corps, Brigadier General W. C. Whitaker commanding; had moved only about two and a half or three miles on the Ringgold road when it was fired on by the pickets of the enemy. Soon after, the column still advancing, a brisk little engagement ensed, participated in chiefly by the Ninety-sixth Illinois Infantry and a portion of the Eighteenth Ohio Battery, which, however, soon ended in consequence of the darkness of the night setting

6 R R-VOL LII, PT I